Where did Summer Go?

Tomorrow

Saturday 3

Rain, heavy at times, easing to showers in the afternoon. Strong southerlies developing in the morning, gale gusting 100 km/h for a time in exposed places.

Issued: 3:00am 2 Mar (copy of local weather report)

What a summer! The grass hasn't stopped growing (rain), the grapes on the vines are rubbish (rain and low sunshine) the grapes are what they call hen and chickens, that's different sized berries in the bunch = low sugar=poor quality.

I would not like to own a vineyard at this time, it would be nervous breakdown territory, last year the bottom dropped out of the wine market, now this, thankfully we only drink the stuff.

For the past few days there has been an enormous storm brewing over the Tasman Sea, the weather office is now predicting the possibility of a 'weather bomb', that's when things can get very violent, very quickly and have advised all boating people and drivers on the roads to stay at home and watch the TV.. great!

More little Challenges!

Well, the boat is sitting on the 'hard' at Seaview Marina waiting for the engine, a small delay, as we need a new propeller shaft, the old one is metric and would you believe it we need an imperial shaft to fit the new bearing and new folding propeller! and this being a country of everything being metric.

The mast also needed all new stainless steel rigging as the original stuff was way past its use-by date.
I had half expected that the standing rigging may have been a bit dicy and maybe having to replace  a couple of fittings, not the whole lot and now a new prop shaft - bum!

Its a bit strange driving down the driveway with no boat lurking behind the hedge, I have no excuses of having to go to 'the boat' to do some little job...

Mrs DIY has 'suggested' that I must stay with my primary project of painting and getting ready for the 'Grand Opening" of the gallery in May.

There, I've said it, May, (this year 2012) so no more excuses...

Moving Day!

At last the big day has arrived, the boat was lifted over the hedge onto the waiting transporter ready for the first part of its journey to the sea,.I couldn't get a shot of the boat hanging over the trees as I was hanging onto a rope to turn the boat around, a very scary exercise!.
Because the load was oversize (4m beam) a separate pilot vehicle was need to get it 'over the hill'.
After it was loaded and driven off and because I was so 'emotionaly drained', I waited an hour before heading over to Seaview where the boat was to be unloaded.
I arrived to find it sitting in its cradle waiting for the new motor to be installed, all I had to do was pay the man the money - 'no cash no spash'.
The motor should be installed by the end of next week then it's re-stepping the mast, then into the water, or maybe its 'into the water then re-stepping the mast', I don't know, but it's soon.

On the Move

Just received the message that the transport company are able to move our boat from its current home on our front lawn to Seaview Marina in Wellington Yeah!!!
So, Wednesday next, the boat gets loaded on to the transporter for its 2 hour trip over the Rimatuka 'hill' to Wellington, the top of the road is only 500m (1600ft) above sea level, it doesn't sound much but it's a long steep drive up and over.

Transport

The boat is finished - enough to take the road trip from Martinborough to Wellington, the motor is sitting waiting to be installed but unfortunately no transport.

The closest company that specialises in moving boats of this size, is in Auckland the other end of the North Island and they are not sure when they might be in Wellington and able to do the move.
So it's sit and wait, and try not to get to grumpy...

The only bright spot is that I will be able to finish some of the small jobs that I was intending on doing at Seaview (marina). oh well, sigh....

The Mast - Cables

A Quick post while I'm waiting for my electric drill to recharge.

The riggers, who took the mast down after the auction almost 18 months ago, as a 'joke' decided to cut the cables about 25mm from the exit holes instead of just unplugging them from the deck fittings, very funny fellows, I have had to run a new set.
The marine cable is a tad expensive, so that's why I'm a bit grumpy

It wasn't to difficult but unfortunately lost the aerial cable that was just poking out the bottom, luckily, I had run an extra pull-through with the Tri light cable, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get the new one to the bottom.
I have only about 2-3 days more work, then it (the boat) can be sent 'over the hill' to it's new home in the water at Seaview Marina.

PS. Cutless is a bearing, cutlass is for cutting your head off - sorry for the confusion (Wednesday, 7 December 2011)

The Great Missing Glasses Mystery

Where do they go?, 2 weeks ago I found my 'lost' glasses, a total of 4 pairs and now they have all 'gone' again.
I got fed-up with searching and Mrs DIY totally denied that she had put them away somewhere, so in desperation, once again I headed off to the local supermarket and bought 2 more pairs, - I only need a 1.5 magnification for reading...

Now the 2nd new set is missing, somewhere around there is a bunch of glasses having a meeting or maybe escaped to a better place.
PLEASE COME BACK!

Junior Masterchef Masterclass by Mrs DIY

An early class for our number 2 grandchild, with Mrs DIY teaching the finer points of how to cook potatoes...

Outside Painting - Done

Well, the outside painting of the hull is now finished!!! it looks OK, it's never is going to look like a new boat but the finish has turned out very well.(I think)
It was a 2 pot International paint which dries very smooth and looks as if it has been sprayed.
This was achieve not without a little at drama, I had mixed up enough paint for one side and we had an unexpected rain shower, the weather was warm 25deg which meant that the paint was already starting to go off. (panic, I had a $100 worth of paint turning to goo)
What to do? a quick read of the instructions showed at 7degC the pot life was 5 hours, so a bit of cling film over the top and into the fridge till it stopped raining, phew!
Luckily Mrs DIY was not at home

Wet and Dry

The weather has been a bit wet. At this time of the year it should be looking nice and brown like the top pic.

Both photographs were taken about the same time of year, but 1 year apart..

The top view is only about 4km up the road from our house, it's now back to having to cut the lawns once a week!.